BYLAWS
OF THE SALISBURY UNIVERSITY FORUM
Article I: Names and Functions
Section 1: Name
The name of the organization shall be the Salisbury University Forum,
hereinafter referred to as the Forum.
Section 2: Purposes
The Forum facilitates and coordinates communication among the faculty,
staff, and students of Salisbury University. The Forum meets regularly
to provide an opportunity for Forum members, Forum committees, and the
representative governance groups (Faculty Senate, FS; Staff Senate SS;
and the Student Government Association, SGA) to communicate their
deliberations and to discuss issues affecting the campus community. The
Forum is supported by University committees, which perform much of the
work of the Forum. The Forum also forwards items and makes
recommendations, as appropriate, to the administration and to the
representative governance groups.
Section 3: Responsibilities
The Forum shall have such responsibilities as may hereafter be
delegated to it by the President of the University or by the Board of
Regents, and shall have the power to enact, amend, and repeal its own
bylaws for its internal functioning.
Section 4: Executive Committee
The Executive Committee of the Forum shall be the body charged with
primary responsibility for implementing the purposes of the Forum.
Article II: Membership, Executive Committee, and Officers
Section 1: Forum Membership
The members of the Forum shall consist of the following:
1. All full- and part-time employees of the University.
2. All full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students of the
University.
3. All emeriti faculty and staff of the University.
4. Such others as the Executive Committee of the Forum by majority
vote shall designate.
Section 2: Executive Committee
The responsibilities of the Executive Committee of the Forum shall
include the following:
To
review all agendas, minutes, reports, recommendations, and actions of
all committees;
To
prepare for distribution before meetings the topics and subjects for
Forum deliberation;
To
request that the representative governance groups meet to discuss and
possibly resolve any differences among their respective recommendations;
To
recommend policies and procedures involving relationships among and
between the Forum, the President, and the representative governance
groups;
To
resolve questions of purview of any committees;
To
ensure vacant positions on committees are filled properly and promptly;
To
report the names of members of committees to the University Forum at the
May meeting;
To
resolve any conflicts and differences in the recommendations of the
Forum standing committees;
To
establish ad hoc committees;
To
ensure Forum committees report to the Forum Executive Committee prior to
each Forum meeting;
To
conduct the process for amending the Forum bylaws; and
To
maintain records of Forum business, to include committee summary reports
and an up-to-date copy of the Forum Bylaws.
The Executive Committee
of the Forum shall consist of six voting members: one faculty member
elected by the faculty in a manner determined by the FS; one staff
member elected for a two-year term by the staff in a manner determined
by the SS; one student member elected for one-year terms by the students
in a manner determined by the SGA; and the Presidents of the FS, SS and
the SGA, all ex-officio and voting. No elected representative
may serve more than four consecutive years. All members of the
Executive Committee must have been members of the Forum for at least one
year prior to assuming office,
and shall assume office
on July 1.
Section 3: Officers of the Forum
The officers of the Forum shall be designated as Chair, Vice Chair,
and Secretary. The officers' terms of office shall be one year. Officers
shall be elected from and by the membership of the in-coming Executive
Committee. The Chair and Vice Chair must be members of the faculty or
staff. All officers shall begin their terms on July 1. The officers
shall have the following duties:
1. The Chair shall preside over all Executive Committee and Forum
meetings.
2. The Vice Chair shall serve as chair in the absence of the Chair.
3. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all Forum and Executive
Committee meetings; shall by any appropriate means keep the Forum
members informed of the activities of the Forum, the dates, places, and
(so far as is feasible) the agenda of future meetings of the Forum; and
shall distribute the minutes of meetings to the members at least
forty-eight hours prior to the next regular meeting.
Article III: Procedures
Section 1: Regular Meetings
The Forum shall meet at least four times each academic year, normally
during the months of September, November, February, March, and
April. This meeting schedule may be adjusted to be compatible with the
academic calendar.
Section 2: Special Meetings
Special meetings may be called by the President of the University, by
the Forum Chair, or by the Forum Executive Committee.
Section 3: Forum Actions
Forum decisions may not set aside recommendations of the
representative governance groups. However, the members present at any
meeting may express the sentiment of the meeting, either separately by
constituency (faculty, staff, and students) whenever requested by any
member, or by the Forum as a whole, on a particular issue. The Chair
will direct this process.
Section 4: Rules of Procedure
The rules of procedure in Forum meetings, except as otherwise
specified herein, shall be those presented in the current edition of
Robert's Rules of Order.
Section 5: Amending Bylaws
The Bylaws of the Forum shall be amended after a reading of the
amendment at a meeting of the Forum, through subsequent ratification by
written/electronic ballot within 45 days from each of the three
constituencies (faculty, staff, and students) of the Forum. Each of the
three constituencies must be separately polled, with a simple majority
of those voting determining the outcome for each constituency. All three
constituencies must approve the amendment before it can take effect. The
Executive Committee shall certify the adoption or failure of all
proposed amendments.
Article IV: Relationships
Section 1: Board of Regents
The Board of Regents of the University of Maryland System has final
legal authority on all policy matters.
Section 2: Campus Organizations
The FS, SS, and SGA will send the results of their deliberations to
the President and/or Vice Presidents of the University and will make
reports at University Forum meetings. Each representative governance
group, however, may desire input from the Forum on an issue while or
before deliberating on that issue, in which case the group(s) will
contact the Forum Executive Committee to have the issue placed on the
agenda. Moreover, the Forum may desire input from each representative
governance group on an issue of concern to the university community. The
Forum Executive Committee will then contact the appropriate
representative governance group(s) for input.
Article V: Committees
Section 1: Committee Actions
1. The work of the Forum shall generally be performed by committees,
which shall be empowered to make studies, reports, recommendations, and
decisions in those areas which fall within the purview of their
delegated responsibilities.
2. Recommendations of the committees shall be submitted to the
Executive Committee which will determine whether to forward the
committee's actions to the appropriate administrative officer, to place
it on the agenda of the next Forum meeting, to refer it to one or more
of the representative governance groups, to return it to the committee
for further consideration, or to refer it to another committee for
additional comment. In this process the Executive Committee will not
alter the content of such actions or the intent of the committee's
action.
3. A delay in Executive Committee action on any recommendation made by
any committee may be initiated by any of the representative governance
groups. The Forum Executive Committee and/or the representative
governance group may conduct its own review of an issue and make a
recommendation of its own regarding such issue. Unless extended by the
Chair of the Forum, reviews will be conducted and recommendations made
to the Forum Executive Committee within thirty days of the date on which
the delay was initiated.
4. Members on committees shall be as determined by the FS, SAC, or SGA,
as appropriate, and their names forwarded to the Executive Committee for
presentation at the regular May Forum meeting each year.
5. Terms of membership of committee members and terms of office of
committee officers shall begin on July 1 of each year.
6. The representatives from the respective representative governance
groups shall have staggered terms to provide continuity.
7. Whenever possible no two faculty from the same department and no
two staff from the same administrative office shall serve on the same
committee.
8. Eligibility for membership on committees shall be one year as a
Forum member. The President and President's Cabinet, including the
academic deans, are not eligible for election or appointment to
Committees, but they may serve as ex-officio members of Committees.
9. No Forum member, other than those designated ex-officio members of
committees, shall serve as a voting member on more than two committees.
10. All ex-officio members of committees may be represented by a
designee if necessary.
11. Ad hoc committees shall be formed with the approval of the
Executive Committee, which will notify the Forum of the Committee's
formation in order that members may volunteer to serve on it.
12. No later than the end of each spring semester, each committee
shall submit a written report to the Forum Chair detailing the
committee's actions, deliberations, and recommendations during the
previous year.
13. Unless designated otherwise, each committee shall meet annually,
subsequent to selection of new members for committees, to elect its
chair and other officers from among its incoming members, and the
elected chair shall communicate the names of the committee's officers to
the Forum Chair.
14. The Forum may not create committees which duplicate those already
reporting to representative governance groups.
Section 2: University Committees
1. Student Affairs
Committee
The purpose of the Committee shall be to formulate and suggest
policies for meeting the financial, emotional, social, and academic
needs of the students. From time to time the Committee shall prepare and
transmit to the Vice President of Student Affairs reports and
recommendations with respect to the following:
• needs of the student population and development of programs in
response to those needs; coordinating student activities and the program
efforts of individual organizations; student participation in the
cultural and social activities of the University; development and
maintenance of an atmosphere on campus that is conducive to learning;
and periodic evaluation.
The Committee shall be comprised of the Vice President of Student
Affairs (ex-officio and non-voting, Director of Student Counseling, and
Director of Residence Life (both ex-officio and voting), four members of
the faculty serving two-year terms, three members of the staff serving
three-year terms, and three students serving one-year terms.
2. University Judicial Board
The University Judicial Board hears cases of alleged student
misconduct referred to it by the University Judicial Administrator,
either on appeal or as an original hearing
The University Judicial Board shall be composed of two faculty serving
two-year terms, two exempt staff serving two-year terms, and three
students serving one-year terms. Five members, at least one of whom must
be a student, shall constitute a quorum. Board decisions shall be made
by majority vote except in appeal reviews, when two votes shall be
sufficient to reopen a case for hearing.
3. Traffic and Safety
Committee
The purpose of the Traffic and Safety Committee shall be to develop
and recommend for implementation traffic and safety rules and
regulations. The Committee will also act as a Board of Appeals
concerning traffic charges. The Committee will deal with campus safety
problems brought to its attention.
The Traffic and Safety Committee consists of ten members: the Director
of Public Safety who shall be ex-officio and non-voting, three faculty
serving three-year terms, three staff members serving three-year terms,
and three students serving one-year terms.
4. Honors Convocation
Committee
The Committee shall, with regard to the awarding of academic honors,
have the following responsibilities:
• Be responsible for selecting, from a list of nominations made by the
faculty at-large, recipients for the Achievement Key and the Campus Life
awards.
• Sanction the presentations of all awards at the annual Honors
Convocation.
• Select the speaker for the annual Honors Convocation.
• Serve as an advisory body in matters related to Honor Societies and
awards.
The Committee shall consist of six faculty members elected to
three-year terms, two retiring each year.
5. Cultural Affairs Council
The purpose of the Council shall be to coordinate and advance the
cultural atmosphere on campus and in the larger Salisbury community.
Pursuant to this purpose the Council shall assist in the sponsorship of
the performing arts, lectures, films, and exhibits in order to enrich
and supplement the institution's educational mission. Cultural events of
substance should bring faculty and students together for the free and
open exchange of ideas central to a true community of scholars. Such
events shall represent the diverse cultural traditions that will reflect
the cultural diversity of the institutions and its constituents.
In pursuit of these goals, the Council will support and suggest
programs, annually review policy and funding, and make recommendations
to the University Forum as needed. The Council will also help to
coordinate outside funding sources and will encourage both the
administration of the University and appropriate student groups to
provide funds to subsidize worthy programs.
The Council shall consist of the Cultural Affairs Coordinator, the
Vice President for Student Affairs, the Dean of the Fulton School of
Liberal Arts, two faculty serving three-year terms, one staff member
serving a three-year term, two students serving a one-year term, and the
President of the Student Organization for Activity Planning. In
addition, the Council shall include as ex-officio members the directors
or chairs of the University Galleries, Public Relations, Theatre,
Salisbury Symphony Orchestra, Dance Company, International Film Series,
Writers on the Shore, Horticultural Services, Dining Services, and a
representative from University Advancement. Any additional ex-officio
and non-voting members may be appointed by the Council as a whole. All
members shall have equal voting power. The Dean of the Fulton School of
Liberal Arts or his/her designee shall serve as Chair.
6. Space Utilization
Committee
The purpose of the Committee shall be to review the utilization of
space within University buildings, evaluate requests for space within
buildings, and to make recommendations for assigning space within
buildings consistent with the mission of the institution.
The Committee shall consist of the Executive Assistant to the
President (ex-officio and non-voting), the Provost, the Registrar, a
representative from the Facilities Reservation Department, the Physical
Plant Supervisor (all ex-officio and voting), three faculty serving
two-year terms, one staff member serving a two-year term, and the
President of the SGA.
7. Residence Judicial
Boards
Two residence judicial boards hear cases involving breaches of the
housing contract or violations of University regulations which occur in
or near residence halls. They serve primarily as appellate boards,
reviewing original administrative hearings conducted by members of the
housing and residence life staff.
Membership of each Residence Judicial Board is comprised of one member
of the faculty serving a two-year term, one exempt staff serving a
two-year term, and one student serving for a one-year term.
8. Student
Campus Life Grievance Committee
This committee provides students with formal grievance procedures
through which they may express substantive complaints about actions in
campus life matters which they believe are unfair or which discriminate
on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, sexual
orientation, marital status, handicap, disability, a violation of the
Americans With Disabilities Act as amended (or other appropriate
federal, state, or local statues) or which violate established
university procedures. In academic matters, the Academic Policies
Committee will hear student grievances.
Membership on the committee is composed of three faculty members
serving three-year terms, two staff serving two-year terms, and two
students serving one-year term.
9. Committee on
Multi-Ethnic Concerns
The purposes of the committee shall be:
• to provide structure and develop procedures for successful minority
recruitment and retention at the University by:
developing and implementing minority outreach
initiatives in the local and regional community;
developing and implementing opportunities for positive multi-cultural
experiences for all students at the University;
to facilitate the development and maintenance of a campus environment
that provides support services and programs to ensure each student the
fullest opportunity to succeed academically and socially.
The committee shall be divided into two subcommittees to address each
of the two charges above. The full committee shall be comprised of the
Dean of Admissions (ex-officio and voting); the Vice President of
Student Affairs (ex-officio and voting); four members of the faculty
serving three-year terms, two staff serving three-year terms, and two
students serving one-year terms.
10. Employee Relations
Committee
The purpose of this committee shall be to collaborate with the Human
Resources Office for the purpose of developing, implementing, and
promoting ethical and comprehensive employment practices, including
professional development, employee awareness (workshops, newsletters,
etc.) in the areas of health, retirement, benefits, employee career
mobility, performance, employee wellness, and other pertinent
information necessary for the entire University employee community.
This committee shall be made up of a representative of the Human
Resources Office (ex-officio and non-voting), four faculty serving
two-year terms, and four staff serving two-year terms.
11. Fiscal Advisory
Committee
The purpose of this committee shall be to review the University's
fiscal resources and to make recommendations regarding the utilization
of these fiscal resources to the President's Administrative Council. The
committee shall focus its efforts on the following activities:
• becoming knowledgeable about the internal and external mandates that
affect the allocation of the University's fiscal resources;
• examining the University's plans and priorities in making
recommendation regarding current and on going initiatives;
• reviewing and commenting on the University's operational budget;
• advising or recommending the disbursement of supplemental and
discretionary funds as they become available;
• providing input in the development of reports for the University of
Maryland System and for the Maryland Higher Education Commission on the
University's fiscal allocation plans and actions; and
• reviewing the University's annual expenditures and providing an
annual report to the Salisbury University Forum that summarizes fiscal
activity for the year in meeting the University's mandates and
priorities.
The committee shall consist of the Vice President of Business and
Finance (ex-officio and non-voting); five faculty serving three-year
terms, three staff serving three-year terms; and two students serving
one-year terms.
12.
Advisory Committee on Building and Grounds
The purpose of this committee will be to function as a clearing-house
for faculty, administrator, staff, and student concerns regarding
existing buildings and the surrounding campus environment and to
encourage the academic community's involvement both in the early stages
of new building planning and landscape development and in the final
stages of project planning so that the entire campus community will have
the opportunity and encouragement to review architectural plans and
offer suggestions and design recommendations before plans are officially
adopted and construction begins.
This committee shall consist of four faculty serving three-year terms,
two staff members serving three-year terms, the Assistant Director of
Physical Plant for Building Trades, the Assistant Director of Physical
Plant for Horticulture (both ex-officio and voting), and two students
serving one-year terms.
13. Government
Relations Committee
The purpose of the committee is as follows:
• Work collaboratively with the President's office in monitoring State
and Federal legislative horizons and in responding to issues affecting
higher education and Salisbury University.
• Organize/provide responses to requests from higher education
organizations (AASCU, ACE, AACU) for communication to elected
representatives regarding pending legislation.
• Report to the Forum on important issues under consideration that
affect higher education in general and Salisbury University
specifically.
The committee shall consist of the Executive Assistant to the
President (ex-officio and non-voting), one elected representative from
CUSS, CUSF, and USMSC, four faculty serving two-year terms, two staff
members serving two-year terms and two students serving one-year terms.
14. The Wellness Council
The purpose of the Wellness Council is to promote a campus environment
that promotes the health of all members of the University community. It
should serve as a catalyst for the creation of a campus climate in which
health, holistically conceived, is appreciated and fostered. The
responsibilities of the Council include the following:
• collaborate with appropriate University offices and departments in
assessing wellness and health-related needs;
• collaborate with University offices and departments in developing
and evaluating student-centered wellness initiatives;
• provide advice to University offices and departments regarding the
incorporation of wellness issues into the curriculum;
• provide advice to University offices and departments regarding
worksite wellness programs for campus employees;
• evaluate and make recommendations to appropriate bodies regarding
University policies on all issues affecting the health of the campus
community, including alcohol and substance abuse issues;
• assess the impact of initiatives undertaken by the University to
address alcohol and substance abuse and the effect of such abuse on the
overall campus climate;
• provide advice to University offices and departments regarding
wellness initiatives it may consider undertaking in the larger Salisbury
community; and
• help the University participate in the on-going national dialogue
regarding wellness and alcohol abuse issues.
The committee will be composed of the following
representatives: The Director of Student Health Services, ex-officio and
non-voting; the Alcohol Educator/Wellness Coordinator, ex-officio and
non-voting; the Director of Student Counseling Services, ex-officio and
non-voting; the Associate Vice-President for Human Resources, ex-officio
and non-voting; three faculty members serving three-year terms, one
retiring each year; three student representatives; and three members of
the University staff serving three-year terms, one retiring each year.
The Council shall elect its chairperson annually.
15. Information
Technology Committee
The purpose of this committee is to advise the Chief Information
Office and the Information Technology Department concerning campus
technology needs, priorities governing computer use, and software and
hardware products provided through the campus network.
The committee shall be composed of the Chief Information Officer
(ex-officio and non-voting), the Director of Information Technology, two
faculty from each school serving two-year terms, four staff (two exempt
and two non-exempt) serving two-year terms, and two students serving
one-year terms.
1. This requirement, here and elsewhere, is waived for the first
year of these revised bylaws of the University Forum.
